Below is the full text of a MLAC news release from 07/29/2024.
BOSTON, July 29, 2024 – Earlier today, Governor Maura Healey announced her decision on the FY25 Budget. The budget includes $51 million for civil legal aid through the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation’s (MLAC) line item 0321-1600. This represents a $2 million increase over the FY24 funding level.
“I am very grateful that Governor Healey’s action today increases funding for civil legal aid organizations,” says MLAC Executive Director Lynne Parker. “MLAC is proud to support these vital services, which transform lives and help people with low incomes gain stability. Demand for these vital services is considerably high and currently approximately 50 percent of people who apply for legal aid and meet income eligibility requirements are turned away due to a lack of resources.”
Massachusetts civil legal aid organizations play a critical role in our state’s network of safety net programs, serving people with incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. In 2024, that is $39,000 for a family of four and $18,825 for an individual. Legal aid is a proven intervention with far-reaching results: MLAC data shows legal aid secured an estimated $100 million in economic benefits for the Commonwealth and its residents in FY23.
MLAC is grateful to the Legislature for their continued investment in civil legal aid and appreciates the longstanding efforts of the Equal Justice Coalition and our allies in the private bar. The Equal Justice Coalition (EJC) includes members of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar Association; managing partners of many of the state’s largest law firms; corporate in-house counsels; representatives from area law schools; and social services organizations across the Commonwealth.